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| image source: oregonlive.com |
The talk of the 2015 NBA free agency, save for LaMarcus Aldridge or DeAndre Jordan, has been the trails and tribulations of the Sacramento Kings. From the already tense relations between the team and DeMarcus Cousins to the signing of Rajon Rondo, the front office in Cowtown has fans longing for the team's early 2000's glory days more than ever. Those Kings teams, who's peak was a 61-21 win season in '01-'02, were the product of Geoff Petrie.
But while most hoops fans know Petrie as the award winning general manager of those squads, who had a taste for the longball, he was once an accolade winning player who could shoot the ball from far himself. In a few short years, Petrie was one of the league's greater shooters, as well as the star of a pre-Blazermania Portland Trail Blazers team. His departure would in fact be the catalyst for that 1976-77 team, but enough of Petrie's off-court impact for now. His exploits in game are worthy of our attention.
Petrie came to Portland as the very first pick of the expansion Trail Blazers in the 1970 NBA Draft, later gaining the moniker "The Original Trail Blazer". Previously, He had played his college ball at Princeton, where he had been First Team All-Ivy twice. Petrie stormed out of the gate for the first year club, leading the club in minutes, points, and assists. While Portland's inaugural year went as well as most expansion team's first seasons tend to, going 29-53 and finishing last in the West, Petrie, the Ivy-Leaguer, quickly learned how to adapt to the NBA, averaging 24.8 points a game (seventh in the league) and earning an All-Star berth. His crowning achievement would not be his selection to the All-Rookie Team, but his sharing of Rookie of the Year with Dave Cowens, an especially great feat considering the draft class included six future Hall of Famers and a dozen All-Stars.
While expectations for Petrie were higher than Mt. Hood after his sensational season (several likened him to Jerry West), the 1971 offseason would have a moment that would begin to tear down his career, in where during practicing at Portland State, felt an uneasiness in his left knee. This injury would come back to haunt him, but in the meantime, Petrie only missed twenty games of his sophomore season, but his scoring notably dropped down to a bit under nineteen points a contest. The Trail Blazers would again finish last in the West but won the coin toss for the first pick in the draft, selecting the notoriously underwhelming LaRue Martin. But even with the lackluster roster surrounding him in '72-'73, Petrie would be able to rebound from his previous season, averaging 24.9 points a game, his career high. He would reach another scoring milestone that season, going for 51 points against the Rockets. Mike Newlin, the man assigned to defend Petrie, infamously declared after the game that "He'll never do that again". Playing Houston again nearly two months later, with Newlin guarding him, Petrie did just that, scoring 51 on the Rockets.
'73-'74 brought a change to Petrie's position, as he switched backcourt roles from shooting guard to point. In addition, his game was altered as well, adapting to his knees by becoming more of a shooter. The change in position or playing style failed to damper the statsheet, as Petrie would average 24.3 points and 4.3 assists and make his final All-Star game, giving the West eight points in Seattle. But while Petrie had a exceptional season, the rest of the team failed to follow suit, leaving the Trail Blazers in the cellar for the fourth time in four seasons. Yet, there would be hope for the Rose City, as thanks to the team's 27-55 record and the flip of a coin, Portland was able to gain the first pick in the draft, and with it, UCLA wunderkind center Bill Walton.
The next two seasons brought the beginnings of the team that would later go on to stun the 76ers in the '77 Finals, but also the end of Petrie's career. While he would average a career high 5.3 assists in '74-'75 and never drop below 18 points a content his final two seasons, injuries would hinder Petrie's game further. By 1976, his contract would be done with the Trail Blazers and his knee in need of surgery. In a standoff, Portland wanted Petrie to get surgery, while the six year veteran wanted a contract before getting the knee repaired.
The stalemate would be broken by the team trading Petrie and Steve Hawes (father of Spencer) to the Hawks for the second selection in the ABA Dispersal Draft, which would become Maurice Lucas. Thanks to the addition of Lucas and a healthy year out of Walton, Portland was able to have their first winning record, first playoff berth, and first and only NBA championship. Petrie would never suit up for Atlanta after the trade, having three surgeries on his knee in one year, By training camp in 1978, he had ended his quest to play, telling his coach Hubie Brown he was retiring.
After spending a few years away from basketball, Petrie would rejoin the Trail Blazers, first as a color commentator, then into the front office. His rookie year as Vice President of the team went as well as his first year as a pro, with Portland making the Finals, losing to the Pistons. The team and Petrie were at the top of their games, with the Trail Blazers making the Finals again in 1992. (The coach for those Blazers squads would be Petrie's former teammate Rick Adelman.) After a dispute with owner Paul Allen, Petrie would leave for Sacramento in 1994. By 1999, the Kings would begin a six year stretch where they would be in the upper echelon of teams in the West, including the previously mentioned '01-'02 squad (led by Adelman). Because of his role in building those squads, Petrie was named Executive of the Year in '99 and '01. After a spell of losing seasons, Petrie was let go by the Kings in 2013.
Geoff Petrie had a career in basketball that was rich in individual achievements but poor in team success. He had to see his teammates in Portland win a title the year he left. He saw teams he had built lose in the Finals, or succumb to the Lakers one step before. But Petrie can claim to be the original Trail Blazer, the ultimate indie Portland hoops star. While the Rose City loves a winner, just like every other NBA metropolis, being an obscure star in the hipster haven of Portland is quite the honor in itself. Geoff Petrie; You've Never Heard Of Him.
While expectations for Petrie were higher than Mt. Hood after his sensational season (several likened him to Jerry West), the 1971 offseason would have a moment that would begin to tear down his career, in where during practicing at Portland State, felt an uneasiness in his left knee. This injury would come back to haunt him, but in the meantime, Petrie only missed twenty games of his sophomore season, but his scoring notably dropped down to a bit under nineteen points a contest. The Trail Blazers would again finish last in the West but won the coin toss for the first pick in the draft, selecting the notoriously underwhelming LaRue Martin. But even with the lackluster roster surrounding him in '72-'73, Petrie would be able to rebound from his previous season, averaging 24.9 points a game, his career high. He would reach another scoring milestone that season, going for 51 points against the Rockets. Mike Newlin, the man assigned to defend Petrie, infamously declared after the game that "He'll never do that again". Playing Houston again nearly two months later, with Newlin guarding him, Petrie did just that, scoring 51 on the Rockets.
'73-'74 brought a change to Petrie's position, as he switched backcourt roles from shooting guard to point. In addition, his game was altered as well, adapting to his knees by becoming more of a shooter. The change in position or playing style failed to damper the statsheet, as Petrie would average 24.3 points and 4.3 assists and make his final All-Star game, giving the West eight points in Seattle. But while Petrie had a exceptional season, the rest of the team failed to follow suit, leaving the Trail Blazers in the cellar for the fourth time in four seasons. Yet, there would be hope for the Rose City, as thanks to the team's 27-55 record and the flip of a coin, Portland was able to gain the first pick in the draft, and with it, UCLA wunderkind center Bill Walton.
The next two seasons brought the beginnings of the team that would later go on to stun the 76ers in the '77 Finals, but also the end of Petrie's career. While he would average a career high 5.3 assists in '74-'75 and never drop below 18 points a content his final two seasons, injuries would hinder Petrie's game further. By 1976, his contract would be done with the Trail Blazers and his knee in need of surgery. In a standoff, Portland wanted Petrie to get surgery, while the six year veteran wanted a contract before getting the knee repaired.
The stalemate would be broken by the team trading Petrie and Steve Hawes (father of Spencer) to the Hawks for the second selection in the ABA Dispersal Draft, which would become Maurice Lucas. Thanks to the addition of Lucas and a healthy year out of Walton, Portland was able to have their first winning record, first playoff berth, and first and only NBA championship. Petrie would never suit up for Atlanta after the trade, having three surgeries on his knee in one year, By training camp in 1978, he had ended his quest to play, telling his coach Hubie Brown he was retiring.
After spending a few years away from basketball, Petrie would rejoin the Trail Blazers, first as a color commentator, then into the front office. His rookie year as Vice President of the team went as well as his first year as a pro, with Portland making the Finals, losing to the Pistons. The team and Petrie were at the top of their games, with the Trail Blazers making the Finals again in 1992. (The coach for those Blazers squads would be Petrie's former teammate Rick Adelman.) After a dispute with owner Paul Allen, Petrie would leave for Sacramento in 1994. By 1999, the Kings would begin a six year stretch where they would be in the upper echelon of teams in the West, including the previously mentioned '01-'02 squad (led by Adelman). Because of his role in building those squads, Petrie was named Executive of the Year in '99 and '01. After a spell of losing seasons, Petrie was let go by the Kings in 2013.
Geoff Petrie had a career in basketball that was rich in individual achievements but poor in team success. He had to see his teammates in Portland win a title the year he left. He saw teams he had built lose in the Finals, or succumb to the Lakers one step before. But Petrie can claim to be the original Trail Blazer, the ultimate indie Portland hoops star. While the Rose City loves a winner, just like every other NBA metropolis, being an obscure star in the hipster haven of Portland is quite the honor in itself. Geoff Petrie; You've Never Heard Of Him.
